Food container



July 30, 1935. F. F. PFEFFERKORN El AL ,009,516-

FOOD CONTAINER Fild April 4, 1934 2 Sheets-'Shet 1 INVENTORS Car/ A'Sfeve/Ls BY FFeo/er/cK FPfeffer/worn ATTORNEY.

July 30, 1935. F. F. PFEFFERKORN ET AL FOOD CONTAINER Filed April 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Carl A. Ste e 3 BYfid8f/Ck FP/effZrkZ ATTORNEY.

Patented July 30, 1935 UNITED STATES FOOD CONTAINER Frederick F. Pfefierkorn and Carl A. Stevens, Carrollton, Ohio, assignors to The Carrollton Metal Products 00., a

corporation of Ohio 1 Application April 4, 1934, Serial No. 719,058

4 Claims.

This invention relates to food containers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel food container for home use which is readily adaptable as a conveyance for carrying food and the like. It is an object of this invention to provide a novel device for efiecting those functions and which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and practical in use.

Other objects and. advantages of the present invention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a food container embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a view, in cross-section, of the food container illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, in perspective, of a wire clip to be combined with the food container in practising this invention.

Figure 4 is a view, in cross-section, of another type of food container embodying this invention.

As shown in the drawings, the container consists of a base means which may take the form of a tray I, in the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The tray i has a central raised area 2 which is well suited to receive a cake or the like. A trough 3 extends around the central area 2 and serves to receive crumbs. The margin 4 of the tray flares outwardly at a level approximately that of thecentral area 2. The margin 4 is formed with a laterally offset portion 5 which afiords a resting place for the cover 6. The portion 5 merges into an upstanding portion 1 extending around the portion 5. The 35 portions 5 and 1 afiord a recess'into which the cover 6 fits nicely. The lower margin of the cover 5 may be turned over as shown at 8 to provide a rim which will slip readily into the recess formed by the portions 5 and l. Crumbs from 40 the cake are retained in the trough 3 and do not interfere with the engagement between the rim of the cover 5 and the laterally ofiset portion 5 and the upstanding portion 1. The cover 6 may be provided with a knob 9 fastened to the top 01' the cover by bolt ID, by which the cover may food container and the container herein de' the upstanding portion I to form the lip H extending laterally therefrom. The edge of the lip Il may be turned inwardly, as shown in Figure 2, to avoid exposing a raw edge in a position where it might engage other objects. The lip H serves to guide the cover 6 as it is being placed on the tray and the lip aiiords a convenient means by which the tray may be grasped and handled. While the lip II is not essential for home use of the container yet it is practically desirable for 10 the foregoing reasons. The lip I l affords a recess underneath it which serves as the means, forming an integral part of the container, by which the container may be converted into portable use.

To convert the container for home use to a 15 portable container, a clip I2 is provided. The clip I2 is made of wire and is bent to shape, the free ends of the wire being joined by soldering or in any other suitable manner. Thus the clip I2 is made in one piece so that there is nothing 20 about it to come apart, to become lost, to require adjustment, or to require any special attention. The one piece wire clip l2 has laterally inturned portions l3 consisting ofarcuate members l4, adapted to engage in the recess afforded on the under side of the lip I I, and projections l5 which extend under the lip II and desirably are at an angle such as to insure that contact with the lip l I shall be only at the ends of the projections l5 and along the arcuate members II. The laterally inturned portions l3 are arranged at diametrically opposite parts of the margin 4- so that, when pressing against the lip ll, there will be no tendency for the tray to slip from beiwveen the laterally inturned portions l3, the laterally 5 inturned portions l3 engaging the lip ll over a suificiently long arc to aiIord adequate resistance to all ordinary tendencies for the container to slip from between the inturned portions.

The laterally inturned portions l3 are joined 40 by an intermediate portion l6 consisting of the uprights l'l connecting with the projections l5 and extending upwardly above the side of the cover 6, the uprights l1 being spaced from the interfere with the operation of the clip. The uprights I! are connected by the cross-wires I8 which are formed to overlap centrally thereof, the wires being secured together where they cross, as shown at l9, in any suitable manner as by soldering. The structure afforded by the cross-wires l8 strengthens the clip greatly, affords a convenient handle by which the ensemble may be carried, and provides means for engaging the cover 6. The central portion 20 of the crosscover so as not to mar the finish thereon or to 45 wires I8 is adapted to engage with the knob 3 of the cover when the laterally inturned portions i3 are in engagement with the lip H. The clip i2 is of such size and shape that it must be sprung when being arranged in place on the container, the uprights i1 and. cross-wires l8 remaining in sprung condition so as to apply a spring tension which presses the laterally in;

turned portions l3 into engagement with the lip II. The central portion 20 engages with the knob 9 and acts, by spring tension, to press down on the coverso as to hold it tightly in place on the tray. Thus the container is securely held together so that it may be handled freely in carrying it without any danger of dislodging the parts or opening of the container. The strain placed on the central portion 20 by engagement with the knob 9 is in such a direction relative to the laterally inturned portions l3 that the resulting spring tension acts to increase the force pressing the laterally inturned portions into engagement with the lip II and, in the same way, when the container is lifted the lifting force applied to the central portion 20, which serves as a handle means, increases the grip of the laterally inturned portions on the lip ll, thus insuring that the clip will, at all times, maintain a secure grip on the container. When removing or placing the clip, it is disengaged, or engaged, with the lip II by springing the laterally inturned portions l3 over the lip ll.

The one piece wire clip I2 is easily and inexpensively made; it is light and has adequate strength; it requires little care, there being nothing about it to develop mechanical faults; it is practical in manufacture and use, the wire structure permitting adjustment by bending slightly, to compensate for slight imperfections in manufacture, to adapt the clip to use.

A modification of the invention is illustrated in Figure 4 where a plurality of containers 2|, 22 and 23 are shown. The containers may all be alike or they may vary in size, shape and construction, as shown. The container 2| is provided with an outwardly flaring margin 24 which affords a laterally offset portion surrounded by an upstanding portion similar to the corresponding parts of the tray l of Figures 1 and 2. The margin 24 terminates in an outwardly extending lip 25 aiiording a recess on the underside, also like the corresponding construction of the tray l. Container 22 rests on the laterally extending portion and fits within the upstanding portion of the margin 24. Container 22 has an inwardly pressed annular projection 26 which aifords a laterally ofiset portion surrounded by an upstanding portion to receive the container 23. The margin of the container 22 terminates in an outwardly extending lip 21 which affords a recess on the under side thereof. Container 23 is like container 22 in all respects. Container 22 serves as a cover for container 2| and container 23 as a cover for container 22. A cover is provided for container 23, the cover 28 having an upturned margin 29 which is received in the outwardly flaring margin 30 of the container 23, as shown in Figure 4. The cover 28 is provided with a knob 3| for handling it conveniently. The lips on the various containers aiiord convenient means for handling them. A one piece wire clip 32, similar in all respects to the clip I2, is provided to fit the nested containers 2|, 22 and 23 with the laterally inturned portions 33 engaging with the lip 25 and the handle portion 34 engaging the knob 3| to hold the containers and the cover tightly together and to aiiord means for carrying the containers. The clip 32 may be removed, leaving a set of nested containers admirably adapted for home use.

Any of the containers 2|, 22 or 23 may be used as the base means, the other containers and cover being the covering means, and more or fewer containers may be stacked together, a wire clip of appropriate size being used with the assembly to hold it together and to afford carrying means. Each of the containers 2|, 22 and 23 is provided with a lip having a recess on the underside to accommodate the inturned portions of the wire 1 clip so that they may be interchangeably used as the base member to be engaged by inturned portions of a wire clip. 1

While the invention has been described in detail, by way of illustration, it is not intended so to limit the invention inasmuch as variations may be made in the details of construction, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in'the following claims.

What we claim as our invention is as follows:

1. In combination, base means adapted to rest on a supporting surface, said base means having an outwardly flaring margin afiording a laterally ofiset portion surrounded by an adjoining upstanding portion, covering means adapted to rest on the laterally oflset portion and to fit within the upstanding portion, said base means and covering means enclosing the space therebetween and forming a complete food container, there being a lip extending laterally from the upstanding portion and affording a recess on the under side thereof, a one piece wire clip having inturned portions fitting over and engaging said lip within the recess at diametrically opposite parts of the lip, said clip having an intermediate portion joining the inturned portions, said intermediate portion extending over and engaging the covering means when the inturned portions engage the lip and the clip being in sprung condition to maintain the base means and the covering means tightly together, the clip afl'ording handle means for carrying and being detachable by springing the inturned portions free from the lip.

2'. In combination, a tray adapted to rest on a supporting surface and having a central raised area, there being a trough extending around the raised area, said tray having an outwardly flaring margin around the trough, the margin affording a laterally oifset portion surrounded by an adjoining upstanding portion, a cover adapted to rest on the laterally oifset portion and to fit within the upstanding portion, a knob fastened to the top of the cover, said tray and cover enclosing the space therebetween and forming a complete food container, said tray having a lip extending laterally from the upstanding portion and afl'ording a recess on the under side thereof, a one piece wire clip having inturned portions adapted to engage the lip within the recess at diametrically opposite parts of the lip, said clip having an intermediate portion joining the inturnedportions, said intermediate portion extending over the cover and engaging the knob when the inturned portions engage the lip, the

clip being in sprung condition to maintain the tray and cover tightly together, the clip affording handle means for carrying and being detachable by springing the inturned portions free from the lip.

3. A food container comprising a base means and covering means adapted to rest on the base means to form a complete food container, a onepiece wire clip having intumed portions and intermediate portions Joining the intumed portions,

there being a flange on the base means, said intumed portions extending over and engaging the underside of said flange when the intermediate portions extend over and engage the covering means'with the clip in sprung condition, the

spring force of the clip operating to secure the clip in engagement with the base means and the covering means, handle means onthe clip, the clip being detachable and removable by springing the intumed portions free from the flange.

4. A food container comprising a base means and covering means adapted to rest on the base means, the margin oi the base means extending beyond the bottom edge of the covering means, a one-piece wire clip having intumed portions and an intermediate portion joining the intumed portions, said wire clip being engageable with the base means and covering means with the intumed portions engaging the underside of the margin of the base means and the intermediate portion extending across and engaging the covering means to hold the covering means and base means together.

FREDERICK F. PFEFFERKORN. CARL A. STEVENS. 

